


March Bingo 2015

by heffermonkey



Series: 3 Men and A Little Lady [5]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Bingo, Community: 1-million-words, Drowning, Drunken Flirting, Drunkenness, M/M, Multi, Parenthood, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-15 09:30:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3442088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heffermonkey/pseuds/heffermonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two fics to fill the March Bingo @ 1_Million_Words community.  In fic 1 - Danny gets drunk and Steve rescues him from a bar.  In Fic 2 - A day at the beach turns from fun to dangerous in a few short minutes for Steve, Danny, Chin and Grace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bingo Card

3 Prompt Line Bingo 


	2. Drunk Mind, Sober Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny gets drunk, Steve tracks him down, flirting ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bingo Square - Falling off a Barstool

“That did not just happen.”

Steve stared down at the floor for a long minute, trying to figure out if indeed it had just happened or he was imagining it. When Danny began giggling, he quickly slipped off his own barstool and stooped down, pushing him up to sit.

“Whoops,” Danny chuckled and Steve had to poke and prod him to try and help himself up. “Guess that did happen.”

“Fuck D, how much have you had to drink?” 

“Not much,” Danny slurred, using the stool to pull himself up, Steve supporting him from behind. “Bottle was half empty when the barkeep left it.”

Steve eyed the bottle of whisky, only a small amount left in the bottom.

“Is that all you had?” Steve asked him, putting an arm around his waist.

“Few shots of tequila to wash it down,” Danny said, shaky on his legs and leaning on Steve heavily. “Maybe a beer or two to begin with, kinda hard to remember.”

“He owe anything?” Steve asked the bartender who shook his head in reply. “Okay c’mon buddy, you’re done.”

“Still some left,” Danny declared, reaching out for the bottle but Steve turned him away quickly and headed for the door. When they hit the fresh air Danny wavered, clinging to him tightly. “Whoah, slow down road runner, we in a race?”

“Just want to get you home,” Steve murmured, heading towards the Silverado. “Do not puke in my van.”

“Why we leaving?” Danny asked in disappointment before he put a hand on Steve’s chest and stared up at him wild-eyed. “Hey, how’d you find me?”

“You called me five times, or should I say you dialled me five times, but you didn’t talk,” Steve explained. “Had me worried, but the GPS had this as your location, so here I am.”

“You’re a stalker,” Danny sighed, leaning on the van as Steve unlocked it and opened the door.

“Get in,” Steve urged, taking his arm.

Before Danny climbed into the seat he paused and gave Steve a serious stare, “You’re always there to take care of me.”

“Yeah, I am,” Steve nodded, pushing him gently. Danny slid into the seat and slumped against the door as Steve closed it.

The drive back to his place was successful in that Danny felt like puking but didn’t. Steve got him into his house and dumped him gracefully on the sofa, leaving him to go get a glass of water. When he came back, Danny was examining his arm with a frown, twisting it into an awkward position.

“Danny, what are you doing?” Steve asked with a frown, thrusting the glass into his hand. “Here, sip.”

“Think I hurt my arm when I fell off that bar stool,” Danny mumbled, holding up his arm to him. “Is it bruised?”

“No Danno, you’re fine,” Steve smirked. “Didn’t think a little fall like that would hurt you.”

“Yeah well, it did,” Danny pouted, taking a sip of water and placing it shakily on the table nearby. “Could have broken my arm.”

“Or your ass,” Steve grinned.

“You’d have been quite upset by that,” Danny said before sitting back and laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. “You love my ass.”

Steve knew it, but he wasn’t about to declare it. They didn’t talk about such things, even though Danny obviously loved his ass just as much. Steve had caught him looking more than once or twice. He looked at Danny soberly and put a hand on his knee.

“What’s going on Danno?” He asked quietly. “Why were you at that bar tonight, drinking alone?”

Danny had rested his head back, staring at the ceiling. He brought his chin down to better focus on Steve and the smile was gone, instead a pain was in his eyes and his jaw set into a hard line as he tried to stop it trembling with emotion. His hand found Steve’s on his knee though neither of them commented on the fact that their fingers automatically interlocked.

“They killed my brother Steve,” Danny whispered. “They fucking murdered him, squeezed his body into a barrel and left him to rot, my brother. All this time I thought he was alive and I was so angry with him. I loved him, but I was so angry. All this time and he was fucking dead.”

Steve knew there was nothing to say, no words he could offer which would console his friend. Danny’s fingers tightened on his and he began crying, painful sobs that wracked through his body. It was so sudden that it took a moment for Steve to register the fact, before he changed places, moving to sit beside him and putting an arm around him. He stayed silent, letting Danny cry it out against his shoulder. He used the excuse that it was just the alcohol, but wasn’t that the old saying, _the drunk mind speaks the sober heart_ – they’d barely touched on Matty’s death since Danny had come home from Jersey a few months before. Danny didn’t talk about it so Steve didn’t bring it up.

Slowly Danny’s tears dried up, but he still leaned against him like he was his crutch and Steve could live with that. After five years of friendship, there wasn’t anywhere he’d want to be but there for Danny when he reached out for his support, even if that meant witnessing the tears and pain nobody else got to see. It wasn’t easy, but Steve hated the idea of anybody else having that role in Danny’s life.

“Sorry,” Danny sniffled, wiping a hand over his face.

“Don’t be, might be one day you need to return the favour,” Steve smiled, giving him a squeeze of comfort. “It’s been a long night, you should rest.”

“You don’t mind me crashing on the couch?” Danny asked him. “Or call me a cab, I’ll head home.”

“Fuck that Danno,” Steve said with a shake of his head before standing up. “And have me worrying all night that you got home only to pass out on your floor or something. No, upstairs, c’mon, you aren’t sleeping on the couch. You can crash in my bed, where I can keep an eye on you.”

Steve held out a hand and Danny pulled himself up onto shaky legs, leaning against Steve and giving him a goofy smile, “Don’t think I don’t know what you really mean saying you’ll keep an eye on me McGarrett. And in your own bed too. Something for the wank bank perhaps?”

Steve stared at him open mouthed before turning him and giving him a push towards the stairs, “Oh man I hope you remember every word of this conversation tomorrow. Revenge is best served with a hangover as you try and look me in the eye over breakfast, pervert.”

“I’m the pervert?” Danny retorted as he took the stairs slowly. “Only reason you want me walking in front of you is so you can ogle my ass.”

“Well it is a nice ass,” Steve pointed out. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing wearing those suit pants every day to the office. They don’t leave anything to the imagination.”

Danny paused at the top of the stairs and turned to him with a triumphant smile, “I knew it! I knew you liked my ass.”

“Never denied it,” Steve said matter of factly. “You’ve just never asked my opinion on it before. Just like I’ve never asked your opinion on my physique.”

Danny stared at him with a glassy expression before his eyes trailed down a little, over his shoulders, roving over his chest, lingering over the ink peeking out under the arms of his t-shirt.

“Well it’s just so, you know, kinda perfect, in that ridiculously masculine, muscled, sexy, sort of way,” Danny shrugged before turning away and walking along the hall. “I need to take a piss.”

Steve had to give himself a mental pep talk, telling himself not to take advantage. No, not even when Danny began stripping off his clothes with intent not to stop until he was stark naked. Steve ushered him to bed still wearing his boxers before things could take a turn down that road and covered him up to the neck in sheets before sliding into his side of the bed. He listened to Danny’s breathing, waiting for it to even out.

“Steve?” Danny asked quietly.

“Yeah?” Steve said just as softly.

“Thanks man,” Danny said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I mean that, sincerely.”

“Always Danno, you know that,” Steve replied, smiling in the darkness. “Sleep it off brah, tomorrow is a brand new day.”

~ fin ~


	3. Immersed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Danny, Chin and Grace are enjoying a day at the beach when suddenly things go horribly wrong. Warnings for drowning/near death, resuscitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> x2 Bingo Fills - Drowning & I Thought I'd Lost You
> 
> Part of the 3 Men and a Little Lady series.

"Can we go look in the rock pools Danno?" Grace asked as she ran up from the waters edge.

"Sure," Danny agreed with a grin, getting to his feet from where he'd been lounging in the sand.

"Be careful," Chin said after them as they took off, Danny daring her to a race and, of course, allowing her to win. 

Steve and Chin watched them run to the rock pools with appreciative smiles before turning their attention to one another.

"This is nice," Steve said, leaning against Chin. "We don't get to do this often enough."

"Well, you are the boss," Chin teased, putting an arm around him. "You could give us more days vacation instead of _'hoping'_ we'll have a day or two free to spend time with her."

"And each other," Steve pointed out, turning towards him with a smile.

Chin grinned and pulled him closer, their mouths connecting in a soft, easy going kiss. 

"Hmmm, been a long time since I made out on the beach," Steve grinned, pushing Chin down to the towels they were sitting on and lying down half sprawled over him.

"Just remember this isn't our private beach at home," Chin laughed, putting his arms around him. "Keep it family friendly."

"I'll try," Steve replied, before descending for a kiss once more.

They kissed lazily and enjoyed the closeness, rolling and pressing close without getting too turned on. It was quiet on the beach, but they were well aware of people around them, most of them oblivious to their antics.

"Danny will get jealous," Steve laughed, putting a hand behind his head where he lay after Chin had rolled them over. Chin sat up and looked around with a grin, gazing at the sea and giving a small frown.

"Tides coming in, we should give them a shout," He surmised in half thought, turning back to Steve. "And we can start on the food now."

"I know what I'm hungry for and it ain't ham sandwiches," Steve teased, tugging at the waistline of his shorts.

Chin laughed and slapped his hand away, "Family friendly remember? C'mon, you go get Danny and Grace, I'll sort lunch."

"K', fine," Steve sighed, sitting up. He couldn't resist pulling Chin in for another kiss. He pulled away and frowned himself as the waves began battering the shoreline, rising to his feet. "Hey, it's getting rough out there."

"Yeah, looks like," Chin agreed, standing with him.

"I'll go get D," Steve said warily, eyeing the waves and beginning to head over the sand. He looked over at the rocks where Danny and Grace were peering into shallow pools. The waves were hitting the rocks and showering them with spray but that wasn't unusual and they had their backs to the water. Danny was oblivious to the sudden change in the water and the waves were getting bigger. Steve began to run over to them, shouting out to them to start moving but his words carried off in the opposite direction, with the breeze that blew along the coastline.

"Danny!" Steve shouted again as a large wave suddenly rose up over the rocks behind them. The water powered down and soaked the both of them and Danny had to grab Grace to stop her from losing her balance. Steve was getting nearer, but it was like everything slowed down.

He watched another wave rise up behind them, Danny had Grace in his arms and was heading away to the other side of the rocks towards the beach. He looked up, looked right at Steve with a grave expression before the wave landed with full force on his back and Steve blinked, they were there and then they were gone. He halted, stumbling, heart racing as he caught his breath.

'Shit, surface baby, surface,' He thought as he scoured the water where they’d been pushed into. He turned and yelled as loud as he could. "Chin! They're in the water."

Chin must have been watching because he was already moving, heading straight for the waters edge down where they had pitched their stuff. He had his surfboard under one arm and Steve shook his head to clear it, he knew what he had to do, he was trained for this. _Don't think, act_. He headed for the water himself, people had seen Danny and Grace disappear and were watching in concern as the events took place. Steve grabbed a board where someone had propped it in the sand, shouting an apology over his shoulder for taking it even though he didn't hear anyone complain. He kept looking for a sign of either of them but so far nothing. It felt like forever, but it had only been maybe thirty seconds. They still had time to surface, hopefully, the undercurrents had dragged them away from the rocks.

He glanced right long enough to see Chin was already in the water and heading his way. He hit the water with the board and slid onto it, getting into a rhythm of fast, deep strokes as he fought against the oncoming waves. There, movement to his left, a few feet away. It was one of them, but where was the other? Adrenaline drove him on, even though, the waves were a force to be reckoned with. He got to the spot he'd spied someone or something and looked around, to his back left Grace surfaced sputtering and panicking before going under again.

Steve reached over and grabbed, uncaring what he was able to get a hold of. Her arm as it happened, he got a tight grip and pulled her over to him onto the board. She scrambled into his hold and gripped onto him, coughing and spluttering his name.

"It's okay baby I got you, I got you," Steve said, heart hammering in his chest with relief. He squeezed her tight and felt her shaking and crying but she was breathing and that was what counted. But where was Danny? He searched the surface of the water but saw nothing, then he looked for Chin and noticed his board floating freely several feet away.

The waves were still dangerous and Steve knew he needed to get Grace to safety, even though it meant leaving Chin to find Danny alone. But it wouldn't do any of them any good if he and Grace got into difficulties. He turned the board and headed for the shore, letting the waves take them most of the way as he tried to comfort Grace who was crying and trembling uncontrollably. He turned to see Chin surfacing, taking a deep breath before diving under again.

 _'Fuck Danny, where are you?'_ Steve screamed in his head. Other people had entered the water on their boards, following himself and Chin and were headed for Chin's location. Steve took Grace and thrust her into a woman’s arms without much thought. Grace cried after him, not wanting to be left, but she was safe and Danny wasn't out of danger yet.

"It's my daughter, please keep her safe," He yelled back over his shoulder.

He was back out onto the water again, the waves driving him back when he wanted to go forward. Steve focused ahead and could have yelled out in relief when Chin broke surface, Danny with him. But even from the distance he could tell Danny wasn't moving. Chin gripped onto his board with one hand and Danny with the other, keeping his head above water. Steve was tiring and watched as some of the other guys who'd joined them in the water help drag Danny onto a board and Chin onto his. Steve turned again, heading back for the shore, exhausted and terrified. He scrambled off the board, dragging it onto the sand and dumping it. To his left the men who had Danny carried him onto the sand and laid him down. A small crowd gathered and Steve had to fight his way past them. Then men had already begun CPR.

"Shit breathe, breathe baby," Steve said under his breath, hands covering his mouth as he tried not to panic. Danny was limp and lifeless.

"Oh god, oh god," Chin said, appearing beside him. He put an arm around Steve, clinging to him as they watched the men breathe into Danny's mouth and pump his heart.

Every time they pushed at Danny's heart Steve and Chin felt it was one too many. It was going on too long. Then Danny heaved, choked and coughed, salt water spewing out of him. 

"Oh god, oh thank you god, fuck," Steve groaned, turning to Chin and wrapping his arms around him. "He's okay, he's okay."

Chin held him just as tight as Danny was turned onto his side, coughing and wheezing, his body sounding wrecked with his need to breathe.

"Babbo, pop," Grace was crying nearby them, struggling out of the woman’s arms she'd been handed to and squeezing between them. Chin took hold of her as Steve went to Danny's side as he sat up, eyes watering, still coughing and rubbing his chest.

"Grace?" Danny asked croakily.

"She's okay, I got her," Steve said, hugging him tightly. "Don't you ever do that to us again."

"Do what?" Danny asked weakly. Steve would have laughed only the horror of what had nearly happened was still too fresh.

Suddenly they were swarmed by lifeguards, who'd been alerted to the panic. Steve couldn't help but think if they'd waited for them to arrive maybe they wouldn't be in this situation now, maybe it would have been worse. It made him sick to think about it. He stepped back as they got to work, wrapping blankets around Danny and putting him on oxygen until the ambulance team arrived. They quickly moved him to the van and headed for the hospital.

Chin was busy thanking the people who'd helped them, Grace holding tightly to him and still crying. Steve grabbed their stuff, dumped it into the back of the car and they made their way quickly to the hospital themselves. Chin tried to console Grace who had been terrified by the accident.

"You're okay now sweetheart," Chin soothed, sitting in the backseat with her. "Danny too, the Doctors will want to check you both over though."

Steve watched them both through the mirror, his eyes meeting with Chin's and seeing the same glazed, scared expression reflected back at him. They both knew it could have went horribly wrong out there and it shocked them how close they'd come to losing the two of them.

~

When they arrived at the hospital they were informed Danny would be kept in under observation until his blood oxygen levels returned to normal. The doctor implied twenty four hours considering he'd been under the water for so long, making sure his temperature was up and they were happy with his progress. He hadn't been under longer than a few minutes, but Steve knew it was procedure to keep any near drowning victim in for at least eight hours.

A different Doctor looked over Grace and suggested they keep her for observation also, noting her body temperature was a little low. She'd been under long enough for them to show slight concern, considering her age. Grace had sat on Chin's knee as the Doc checked her over and clung to him when the Doctor suggested she stay.

"I don't want to stay here alone pop," She said not letting go.

"I'm not going anywhere little one," Chin assured her. "Just let's get you comfortable in bed, get you warmed up, give you some oxygen."

"But I'm okay, why do I have to stay?" Grace whined as he lifted her in his arms and set her down in the bed a nurse directed them too.

"It's standard procedure," Chin smiled, setting her down on the bed and smiling at the nurse who set a gown down for him to change her into before drawing the curtain for privacy. Chin helped Grace strip out of her swimming costume that she still wore. "When someone nearly drowns, that affects the body and it's important to remain under observation for a few hours, just in case."

"But I didn't drown," Grace pointed out, pulling on the gown and lying back as Chin tucked the blankets around her. Chin sat on the edge of the bed and thanked all the gods of the islands that her words were truth. 

"No, you didn't," He sighed gratefully. "But you were under the water for a long time. That affects the body, your temperature drops, you swallowed salt water, it affects the body even after you're removed from the water. So we need to make sure you're okay and sometimes symptoms don't show for a while, which is why you need to be kept under observation for those hours."

"Danno too?" Grace asked, holding his hand.

"Yes, Danno too," Chin pointed out. "He'll be here a little longer than you."

He didn't say it was because they'd had to perform CPR, that Danny had drowned, that they had nearly lost him. There was still chance of something happening. Chin wouldn't be happy until he got them both home safe and sound.

~

Chin called Kono to ask her to stop by the house and bring him and Steve a change of clothes, explaining what had happened. Within a half hour she'd arrived at the hospital, hugging them both with a worried expression. She sat with Grace as they changed and tried to keep her spirits up with her stories which usually did the trick, only the words felt hollow and flat. Nobody was their usual self.

Chin and Steve took it in shifts to sit with Grace and Danny. Chin managed to get Grace to eat something and she drifted off to sleep. Danny was also sleeping and Steve had left his bedside only to switch with Chin. They'd agreed not to leave Grace alone at any time. Kono kept them supplied with coffee and snacks, refusing to go home herself. They were all in it together.

"You look like shit," She murmured as Chin stalked through the hall to swap with Steve again. Danny was still sleeping.

"Feel like it," Chin admitted. He and Steve were both having trouble sleeping, unlike their partner and daughter.

"Steve too, you both look," Kono said, looking at him then focusing on the floor. "Well - just-,"

She shrugged and fell silent. They both looked haunted, like they'd witnessed something they couldn't quite process. They'd all experienced death in their lives, family members, friends, people they cared about. But Kono could see this had affected both men on a different scale. She couldn't imagine what they'd been feeling as it had all happened.

"I'm going in with Grace," Chin sighed, heading past her.

"Want me to sit with her?" Kono asked, jumping to her feet. "That way she won't be by herself and you and Steve, you have a chance to sit together. You should go get some fresh air, take a break."

"It's only been a couple of hours," Chin replied, but he sounded exhausted.

"Long enough," Kono told him, putting an arm around him as they headed for Grace's room. "Even if it's just for ten minutes. I feel like a spare part just sitting watching you two pass by like ships in the night."

They reached Grace's room and Kono shooed Steve away before he could form any protest. Chin gave him a shrug, it was useless to argue, Kono was the least tired of them all. Chin took Steve by the hand and they rode the lift to the ground floor and slipped outside. It was late evening and the sun was nearly set.

"The doc came to check on Danny," Steve informed Chin as they sat on a bench in a small flowered patch of the hospital garden. "Said he's going to be fine, they'll discharge him in a couple of hours most likely."

Chin nodded, "Grace too."

They both fell silent, unable to voice their relief. Steve shook his head and leaned forward, clasping his hands together.

"God I just, I can't help thinking of when they had him lain out on the sand," Steve said, bringing his hands to his mouth.

Chin rested a hand on the back of his neck, caressing the spot gently. He knew exactly how Steve felt and it was difficult to say the words. Steve turned to look at him, eyes glinting and Chin squeezed his fingers a little firmer.

"If you hadn't of gotten to him when you did, if we'd taken longer to get into the water-," Steve continued.

"We didn't," Chin said, leaning into him, sliding his arm further around him and holding him close. "We got to them both in time. Took them less than a minute to get him breathing again, he had a weak pulse but he was still with us all the time Steve. Don't think of the alternative, don't do that to yourself."

Steve leaned into him, resting his head against him as Chin kissed his forehead. They were all okay and in a few hours they could all go home.

~

"Steve, god, seriously babe, back off," Danny said sternly. "You don't have to follow me everywhere I go."

It was three days later, Steve had ordered him to take a few days off from work and wouldn't be swayed. They weren't working an active case and Danny was beginning to go stir crazy in the house without Steve following his every move whenever he was home. Chin had taken Grace for shave ices as a treat, they'd all been doing their best to keep her happy and calm as well as talking about what had happened. Slow and steady was the key.

"You should be taking it easy D," Steve retorted as Danny sorted boxes in the garage. Anything to stop himself going mad from the house arrest Steve had him under. Steve took a box from him and set it aside with a stern look.

"Fuck I'm fine," Danny said irritably. "It was days ago Steve, I'm fine okay? Move on."

"You still need to rest," Steve said, grabbing his arm before Danny could bend for yet another box to move. Danny yanked his arm away and glared at him, growing tired of Steve's possessive streak.

"You need to back off," Danny warned him. "This protective act isn't doing it for me. Forget about it okay, I'm here, I'm fine, everything is fine."

He knew he'd said the wrong thing as soon as he'd said the words. Steve stepped up angrily, hands on his arms, giving him a small shake in response and Danny was taken aback by his anger.

"Forget about it? _Forget about it_?" Steve said, his grip made Danny wince. "What the fuck Danny? We nearly lost you, I had to stand and watch them give you mouth to mouth. You were lain out on the sand not breathing. And you're telling me to forget it?"

"Steve, babe," Danny said softly, running his hands over his shoulders as Steve's hold loosened just a little. "I'm here, see, I'm okay."

Steve blinked at him and saw his pained expression, letting go of his arms quickly, "Shit sorry baby, I'm sorry."

Danny shook his head at him with a smile. "It's okay, we're good," he assured him, moving into his embrace, encouraging Steve to wrap his arms around him.

"Sometimes I just keep getting flashes of what could have happened," Steve admitted against him. "And that scares me so fucking much."

"I know," Danny whispered as they held one another. "I get that, I do. But you and Chin acting all protective around me is becoming stifling. For Grace yeah and she needs to feel that right now. But you need to give me some space. I'm not going to suddenly-."

"Disappear," Steve finished for him. The last few nights he'd been haunted by the images of Danny and Grace on the rocks, one second there and the next, gone. "It was so quick Danny."

"I know," Danny said, smiling as he pulled back a little, "I was there."

"Sorry," Steve said, hands still on his shoulders. Danny toyed with Steve's t-shirt with his fingers in thought, giving a small shiver. 

"I remember having a hold of her and then we hit the water and I just, I let go," He said quietly. He hadn't spoken of the experience, the last few days he'd been trying to forget. There'd been a session set up for himself and Grace to see a trauma counsellor for the next day. Danny hadn't been sure he was ready to talk about it at home with Steve and Chin. "And I couldn't fight the undercurrent, everything was a blur and I wasn't even thinking about hitting the surface and breathing, I just needed to find her. I let go of her, why'd I do that?"

His fingers bunched into a fist in Steve's tee and Steve gave him a small shake. "Don't Danny, don't you do that to yourself. The water changed quickly, the tide, the waves, losing contact might have been the best thing for her. She hit the surface, I got her out, you were under longer. She might not-."

Steve paused and pulled in a breath. "She might not have survived it if she'd been under as long as you were, even if it wasn't much longer."

"God if anything would have happened," Danny said shaking his head. "I'd never have forgiven myself."

"Don't baby, don't," Steve said, pulling him towards him again. Danny sagged against him, burying his face into his chest.

~

"Everything okay?" Chin asked Steve as they cleared the dishes from supper. Danny was putting Grace to bed. "You two seemed a little subdued when we got back."

"We had a little heart to heart in the garage," Steve admitted as he closed the dishwasher. "He's getting tired of our protective act and I guess we both said stuff we needed to get out."

Chin nodded quietly and rubbed a hand on the small of his back before he went back to wiping down the bench.

"He blames himself," Steve said after a pause. "For letting go of her."

"Could have happened to any of us," Chin shrugged sympathetically. "It was rough out there, those currents were strong. Probably best he let go."

"I know that's what I told him," Steve agreed with a nod. "But still, I get what he's saying."

"Talking will help," Chin said, tossing the cloth into the sink and wiping his hands on a towel. "Grace seems a little better, but then sometimes kids bounce back quicker. For her it was scary, but I don't think she grasps just how close it was."

"That's a good thing," Steve remarked. "Danny on the other hand-."

"All we can do is be there for him as he gets through this," Chin said, taking his hand and leading them through to the living room. "We were there for him in the water and at the hospital and we're here for him now."

"Here for _who_ now?" Danny asked as he came quietly down the stairs.

Chin smiled as he sat down on the sofa, Steve sprawling beside him. 

"You," Chin told him. "Is Grace asleep?"

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "She seems less anxious today."

"She's going to be fine," Chin observed knowingly. "It's you we're worried about."

"You two been talking about me?" Danny smiled lightly, knowing he'd been the topic of conversation in the last few days.

"Sorry if we're cramping you're style," Chin apologized, knowing it was bothering him some. "It's just, after what happened-."

"I know, Steve already said," Danny said, waving a hand at him to forget about it.

Steve sat up and patted the couch between himself and Chin. Danny rolled his eyes but sat down between them.

"It will help to talk to the counsellor," Steve said, putting a hand on his knee.

"I know," Danny nodded quietly. "I do appreciate how much you two care you know? It's just a little stifling at the same time."

"We'll back off," Chin said, giving Steve the eye. Steve's protective, possessive streak had reared its head since the accident.

"A little," Steve added, not promising anything.

Danny grinned and shook his head at him as Chin put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

"It's only because we care _ipo_ ," Chin pointed out.

"You think I don't know that?" Danny shot back in reply lightly, turning to look at him. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "Thanks baby."

Steve cleared his throat and looked pointedly at him. "I get yelled at for being protective but when Chin says it, he gets a kiss?"

"Tough love," Danny grinned with a shrug. "Sorry but Chin isn't the pain in the ass you are, he needs gentler handling."

Chin gave Steve a smug smile, agreeing with Danny. Steve pulled his hand away, playing hurt and snubbed, folding his arms. 

"Well if that's how it is," He sniffed, ignoring them.

"Such a goof," Danny laughed, putting an arm around him and pulling his stiff form close, tipping his face to his with a hand. He kissed Steve warm and firm on the lips, enjoying the closeness. "I like you showing protection and possession, just knock it back a notch. K' babe, please?"

"I'll try," Steve promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part of 3 Men and a Little Lady probably will be continued at some point. Just needed to post it as it is for the Bingo cut off.


End file.
